Nebraska commit Kevin Dillman to stay at Denton Guyer, play QB for JV

Highly rated senior quarterback Kevin Dillman suited up and played for the junior varsity team in Guyer’s scrimmage against Euless Trinity on Friday night, making official what was already assumed — Dillman will remain at Guyer after the University Interscholastic League ruled him ineligible to play varsity games as a senior on Aug. 11.

Dillman, a Sweden native who transferred to Guyer from La Mirada, Calif., in February, committed to Nebraska in April despite limited varsity experience because of injuries. Dillman likely could have gone to a TAPPS school, such as Liberty Christian, and played football as a senior to gain more varsity experience.

Instead, Dillman decided to remain at Guyer and play on the JV team while also serving as a mentor for sophomore phenom Shawn Robinson, who won the varsity starting job during spring football.

“I still practice with varsity,” Dillman said. “The only thing that’s going to be different is come Thursday, I’ll be playing JV instead of varsity on Friday. Then I’ll be out coaching for the other players in the varsity games. I think I’ll gain more if I stay, let’s put it like that.”

Dillman said he visited Liberty Christian and also spoke with Plano Prestonwood, but said the decision basically came down to Guyer and Liberty Christian given Prestonwood’s distance and the quarterback talent he said was already in place.

“Oh yeah, it was definitely a hard decision,” said the 6-3, 215-pound Dillman, who is listed as a three-star recruit by 247Sports. “I’ve yet to hear from Nebraska what they want me to do, so it’s a decision I based on myself. Pretty much, it’s the people I was around here. They had a more competitive edge in football and their attitude [at Guyer]. That’s why I felt I fit in more here.”

Dillman originally went to La Mirada as a freshman foreign exchange student from Ystad, Sweden, and later gained U.S. citizenship. His parents have lived in Sweden for the entirety of his high school career. He lived with his California host family until moving to Lantana in January with a longtime friend of his parents, Peter Dames, who moved there from The Netherlands and is Dillman’s legal guardian.

Dillman, who tore his Achilles tendon during his junior season at La Mirada, was unable to fully participate in Guyer’s spring practice but is now at 100 percent health.

Even though Guyer coach John Walsh was initially a proponent of Dillman going somewhere he could play at the varsity level in preparation for his arrival in Lincoln, Neb., he said he is not surprised by Dillman’s decision.

“He’s built so many relationships with players and has a good relationship with [quarterbacks coach Lee] Vallejo,” Walsh said. “I think he trusts the training he’s going to get here. He knows we’ll take care of him and let him practice with our varsity guys.”

Walsh also said he’s now thankful for Dillman’s decision as it essentially means he has another quarterbacks coach for Robinson, who was recently named the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2017 by 247Sports.

“I feel for him because it’s not a decision that he just made,” Walsh said of the move. “It was out of his control, and the UIL didn’t see it that way. He’s handled it with such maturity. He’s mature beyond his years. I think that’s from being away from his parents so much and kind of being on his own a little bit.

“As soon as he came, he tried to take on the leadership role in our program, and he’s done it. What I’m looking forward to other than getting him good work, is on that sideline when Shawn comes off [in varsity games]. With Shawn begin young, he’ll need someone other than a coach to lean on on the sideline.”

Walsh also might have the best JV quarterback in the country now, and he said he’s looking forward to seeing him in live game action, regardless of the opponent.

“I think it’s going to be fun,” Walsh said. “I’ve watched him train so long now, so watching him go live is going to be fun.”

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